Collapsible poultry feeder



May 24, 1938. E. E. MOHLER 2,118,322

' I COLLAPSIBLE POULTRY FEEDER 2 Filed Oct. 26, 1956 INVENTOR.

RIVEST Z? Nam ER.

ATTORNEYJI Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHQE COLLAPSIBLE POULTRY FEEDER a corporation Application October 26, 1936, Serial No. 107,582

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a collapsible poultry feeder which may be constructed of any pliable material such as corrugated fibre board or the like.

The object of the invention is to produce a cheaply constructed poultry feeder which may be shipped, stored and sold in the form. of a fiat blank and thereafter assembled when it is desired to be used. By reason of the low cost thereof and the convenient storage in the flat unassembled form, it may be discarded and thrown away when worn out or contaminated by droppings, mildewed food and the like, thus avoiding the necessity of cleaning a more permanent type of feeder. Whereas the structure herein disclosed is preferably made of corrugated fibre board, it may be produced from any pliable material in the same manner and for the same purpose, such as sheet metal.

The principal feature of the invention resides in the formation of the entire structure from a single blank so scored and cut as to permit it to be folded and locked into operative position Without the use of separate pieces or locking devices.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claim.

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the blank scored and cut to form the desired structure. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the structure folded and secured in operative position. Fig. 3 is an end view thereof showing the end wall and locking means. Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 3 showing a modified form.

In the drawing, there is illustrated a blank having a central portion scored with the lines In and H to outline the rectangular bottom section l2. Adjacent each score line Hi there is formed an adjacent rectangular strip l3 defined by the score lines to and M to provide the. side walls of the feed trough. Between the score lines 14 and Hi there is embodied a rectangular strip it which forms the inwardly and upwardly sloping perforated top walls. Said top walls It have a plurality of apertures l1 punched or semi-punched therefrom intermediate the. ends and in spaced relation to each other of the usual size and formation to permit passage of the chicks heads therethrough to the interior of the trough for feeding purposes. Adjacent each end of the top wall It there is cut out a narrow slot I8 extending the full width thereof through which the end walls 20 are adapted to extend. Adjacent the score line [5 there is formed a thin strip of material I9 forming a longitudinally extending reinforcing ridge for the top of the structure when assembled. The oppositely disposed strips I!) are adapted to lie adjacent each other when in assembled relation for providing a closure at the top of the trough.

The end walls 20 lie adjacent the score lines H and are adapted to be folded to a position extending vertically upwardly from the bottom section I2. Said end walls are foldable to a position in the plane of the slots I8 so that the side edges of the end walls extend through said slots when the structure is assembled in operative position. Each of the end walls is provided with a notch 2| into which that portion of the ridge section l9 adjacent the slots I8 are adapted to seat for locking them together at each end and thereby hold the side wall sections 13 securely against the side edges of the end walls in abutting relation thereto, the top perforated sections l6 into their sloping position, and the ridge sections H3 in adjacent closed position.

In assembling the structure, the end walls 20 are first folded up about the score lines II to their vertical position, said score lines ll acting as a hinge therefor. The side wall sections l3, which are similarly hinged to the bottom section l2 along the score lines ID, are then folded up against the side edges of the end walls 20 so as to abut thereagainst in vertical position. The perforated walls [6 are then bent toward each other with portions of the end walls extending through the slots l8 until the ridge sections l9 meet and lie against each other for closing the structure. In this operation the material is sufficiently pliable to permit sufficient give for the ends of the slots [8 to engage over and drop into the notch 2| of the end walls which thereupon locks the sections I!) together for holding the structure in its assembled and operative position.

Fig. 4 is a modified form of structure wherein one of the ridge sections I20 is so formed as to fold over the adjacent ridge section H9 so as to embrace it by an. extension flap portion l2l. In this type of structure, the ridge portion I20 and the flap portion 121 integral therewith lock within the notch 2|, embracing the ridge section H9 therein so that the top of the ridge sections throughout the entire length of the trough will be closed and prevented from separation.

The invention claimed is:

A poultry feeder comprising a substantially rectangular blank of pliable material folded along parallel lines to provide a bottom, side and perforated top walls, the top walls meeting near the extremities of the blank, the meeting edges of said blank abutting one another to form a ridge disposed perpendicularly to said bottom, end walls integral with said bottom and bent perpendicularly thereto on a line of fold disposed inwardly from the extremities of said side and top walls, the said end walls having notches in their extremities to receive and embrace said ridge, and said top walls having transverse slots near their ends to receive portions of said end walls, whereby the ridge, end and top walls are maintained in rigid assembled relation.

ERNEST E. MOHLER. 

